Ideas for the Rest of Us
You may describe your hosting style as glamorous, casual, or trendy. But if you have an inner meltdown because you’re so stressed, you’ll miss half the pleasure of your own bash.
You need to ease up and enjoy yourself, says Brini Maxwell, the queen of party panache.
“So many people forget to relax and have fun. If you’re relaxed your guests will be, too,” says Maxwell, a Manhattan resident who hosts the Brini Maxwell Show on the cable television Style Network.
Don’t get swept up in a fever of cooking and decorating if you don’t have the time or energy. Your guests aren’t going to notice whether your menu pays homage to cable television’s Iron Chef or the carryout next door.
When it comes down to it, what you serve is secondary.
“Bringing people together is what it’s all about,” says Maxwell, author of Brini Maxwell’s Guide to Gracious Living [Stewart, Tabori and Chang, 2005].
In fact, the simpler the better. You don’t want to be hostage to the kitchen and your guests don’t want to fuss over the nibbles. By planning a menu you can make in advance with a few ingredients from the supermarket your inner party animal can be as calm as the one your guests see.
Here Are Some Tips to Start:
- Cruise your local supermarket or upscale food-mart and check out the instant party fare. You can set out an appetizing spread of pates, cheeses, artisan breads, and olives without doing a lick of cooking. Seasoned nuts are a fabulous nosh. Look for packages of chili-dusted or honey-glazed nuts in your supermarkets snack aisle.
- Set up in advance. Organize your favourite serving pieces so you’re not searching for the right bowl at the last minute. Buy a set of cheap bar glasses to have on hand.
- Keep your decorations simple. You can’t go wrong with a flower arrangement, and if you’re strapped for time, get the bouquet delivered from your florist. [As an aside, if you’re concerned with kitchen or pet odours, put stargazer lilies on your list. The dazzling perfume will mask any unpleasant smells.]
- Serve buffet style. If you have the space use one table for savoury foods and a second one for desserts so guests aren’t jammed together. Include plates at one end, followed by platters of food, and ending with napkins and tableware.
- Make one drink the house special. That way you don’t have to juggle as many beverages. Old fashioned drinks including glogg, rum punch, and wine punch, are fashionable now.